Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can
say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17: 20
When our children were in elementary school, I enlisted my husband’s help in planting our first vegetable garden. Their excitement made me smile. Each day, the patio door would slam shut as they scurried up the back hill to check on their seedlings. At night, they would pray for sunshine, and on those hot summer days, they particularly enjoyed watering the little sprouts that soon transformed into vegetables to pick off the vine and enjoy.
Our daughter was delighted by the numerous radishes. Our son was fixated on growing watermelon. In time, fruit juice was dripping down our chins, and the kids were saving the seeds they had spit out for the next growing season. Their patience, participation, and perseverance had paid off.
A short time later, my husband special ordered a gift for me. The surprise was a beautiful necklace displaying a delicate heart-shaped charm holding a miniature seed, a mustard seed. This was super thoughtful, as my better half realized how much this would mean to me. Filled with curiosity about this seed, the young gardeners in residence eagerly flipped through Scripture until we found the explanation in the Gospels where Jesus compared the mustard seed to our faith.
Jesus asked, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with big branches that the birds can perch in its shade” (Mark: 4: 30-32).
Just like our backyard vegetable patch, where we watched, nurtured the plants, and waited with patience and hope, Jesus knows we are always growing in faith. No matter what season of life we find ourselves in, He is telling us to have just enough faith, so together we can climb even the highest of mountains.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us of God’s plan for us: “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham, my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said,“ ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41: 8-10).
Biblical truths like this one are affirming and unchanging. The Old and New Testament promises, coupled consistently with a daily walk with our one true God, can change the direction of our lives. Praying deeply, we greet and confront life’s transitions and challenges with the Spirit within. A leap of faith is habit forming.
As the great theologian, Thomas Moore, once said in Care of the Soul: Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday, “Spirituality is seeded, germinates, sprouts and blossoms in the mundane. It is to be found and nurtured in the smallest of daily activities.”
Come now, my friend. I do not know what you are going through, but there’s one thing I know for sure. Hope is in reach.
Let’s pray.
God of Limitless Possibilities,
Thank you for the stirrings deep within my soul–even during those times of mustard-sized faith. Thank you for helping me to bloom where I am planted. As I look with my heart, you reveal the steps I need in order to remove the obstacles blocking my path. The unfolding of your words gives light for me to follow (Psalm 119: 130). As I rest in your presence, I emerge growing stronger, and more confident than ever before. I am blessed beyond measure for your favor in my life. Thank you, Father.
Amen.
Until next time…
May the Spirit of God lead you, the Word of God sustain you, and the promises of God grant you the gift of everlasting peace.
With love and blessings.
For a deeper connection respond to these questions in your journal:
What memories of childlike, wide-eyed wonder do you have?
When disappointment sets in, how can a mustard-sized faith move you to seek a solution?
Look to the Son in the sky, imagine yourself blooming right where you are planted. Describe what it is like to stand tall like your favorite flower in the summer sun, radiating with beauty, having all you will ever need.
Email your thoughts, praises and prayer requests to sue@faithfirstwomen.com and I will personally respond.
A portion of this reflection first appeared in Nourish Your Soul: 7 Secrets for Women Seeking Peace https://amzn.to/3xuddZw
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Sue Dick, Author of Nourish Your Soul: 7 Secrets for Women Seeking Peace
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